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Moonrise c03s01
Text "I dislike this." Luna muttered, frowning as she paced slowly back and forth, her hooves quietly tapping against the cement floor as Scrivener Blooms sat in front of the desk and watched her, nonplussed. "Celestia still is not telling me everything. I sense something deeper is amiss than she has spoken of. I sense there are other reasons she does not wish to venture herself to our home castle, and I sense there is another reason why she does not wish to send Twilight Sparkle instead of me." Scrivener shrugged a bit at this, leaning on the desk with a bit of a shrug. "Personally, I'm not exactly thrilled you decided that of all ponies, you had to drag me along on this escapade-" "Well, Scrivener Blooms, a bard is always required for any epic journey. Someone must be there to record my incredible feats of strength and prowess, 'lest otherwise they be lost and the world never know what marvels I have performed." Luna said comfortably, smiling slightly over at him with a wink of one of her dark eyes, and Scrivy groaned as he dropped his head back… but at the same time, he was admittedly glad to see it. Much like the night sky, Luna's moods could change in a flickering moment… although with her personality, it meant she usually varied between extremes of seriousness and mischievousness. And admittedly, Scrivy enjoyed it to a point: bitter, sad, and angry as she could get at times, Luna wasn't the kind of pony who sat down and cried over spilled oats. She would sometimes be moody, or sulky, or rant for a little while… but then she always picked herself up and forced herself forwards. It was admirable, albeit difficult to follow and make sense of sometimes… but for now, Scrivener just tried to roll with it, saying sourly: "Well, little miss Warrior Princess, I hate to tell you this but I'm not a warrior. I'm a poet. I could write a poem about an epic battle but I doubt I could actually take part in one myself." "We do not march to war, Scrivy, we march only into the Everfree Forest and to the castle ruins therein, shall be only a short journey during which I shall protect thee from anything foolish enough to lay attack against us." Luna replied mildly, shaking her head quickly and continuing musingly: "Nay, 'tis not that which worries me. I am not fond of the idea of entering the place where I became Nightmare Moon, and where I was also defeated as Nightmare Moon… but I am far more concerned about that which lay between the words mine sister did speak to me. I fear there is something else that endangers Equestria, something my sister wishes not to speak of. Something slithers here, in the realm of the faded shadows, 'twixt the day and the night, seeking to corrupt, seeking to whisper poison to innocent ears…" "And here I thought I was the poet." Scrivy remarked dryly, looking over at her mildly, and Luna snorted and gave him a flat look before he simply shrugged a bit. "Luna, I understand your misgivings, I do. But Celestia is so ridiculously overprotective of you some days that you and I both know she wouldn't throw you into unnecessary danger. And she's always been known to play her cards close… she rarely tells anyone anything until they absolutely need to know, and little more than that bare minimum." "'Tis true, I have not been deaf to her silence." Luna muttered, pawing one hoof against the hard floor of her quarters before she looked up as Scrivy turned towards her, asking mildly: "And yet what she had thee researching… ancient artifacts, nay?" "Yeah, and archive records. It feels like she is looking for something in particular… but there's just so much that could be down in those vaults that we don't really have a choice but to wait until she's ready to tell us." Scrivy shrugged a bit, shaking his head, and he smiled a little at Luna. "Now come on. We got up early for a reason, right? The sun's barely set and you have some things to do today." "Yes, yes, I suppose thou art correct… I mean, you… are correct." Luna cleared her throat, shaking her head quickly and muttering: "I only hope to make a good impression. Nightmare Night was a good start, but they treated me and wanted me then only but for my ability to scare. The more I think about it, the more I-" "Worry, yes, Luna. I know." Scrivy said mildly, walking towards her with a sigh, and then he firmly bumped against her, making the tall female pony grimace a little. "Don't worry, though, no matter how bad an impression you make, I'll make a worse one. And if it's all relative, then that means when they remember this trip, they'll think of nasty little Scrivener and gentle if awkward Luna. You know, as long as you keep that temper of yours in check." "Oh, quiet, Scrivener Blooms. Go put on thy royal vestments." Luna ordered flatly, and Scrivy groaned and rolled his eyes before Luna raised her head proudly, her black tiara and peytral both gleaming. "I still respect our traditions, Scrivener Blooms, and more importantly, thou have spent all too long out of thine uniform. If thee wishes to accompany me, thou shalt wear the symbol of your import." "Look at me, I'm Luna, I talk funny." Scrivy half-stood on his hind legs, flailing his front hooves around, and Luna favored him with a sour look before her horn glowed: a moment later, the door snapped open before Scrivener was lifted into the air, the male yelping before she simply flicked her head and sent the equine flying out of the room to crash into the hall outside with a loud yelp. His eyes rolled in his head as he lay in a sprawl upon the floor, and then he grimaced a little as Luna appeared in the doorway with an amused smile, glaring up at her from his position on the ground as he muttered: "Temper temper, like we just discussed, Princess." Luna, however, only smiled at him, leaning down and saying sweetly: "'Twas me keeping my temper, Scrivener Blooms. Wouldst thou like to see what occurs when I do lose it?" "I'm. Going to go put my silly clothes on now." Scrivy quickly picked himself up with a grunt, then he hurried towards the door down the hall leading into his own room, and Luna laughed and shook her head. She waited for a moment, fidgeting a little on the spot… and then she quietly paced forwards, her hoofs barely making a sound against the cement of the hallway as she leaned silently towards the ajar door and carefully, quietly gazed into Scrivener's room. It was messy and neat at the same time: on shelves and wheeled-racks, scrolls, books, and sheets of parchment were shoved into crude categories and stacked dangerously high, and a dresser and small bed rested against the back of the room: the top of the former was covered in quills and other assorted odds and ends, and the latter had obviously never been made and was rarely used, blankets laying in a disheveled mess. Scrivener, meanwhile, was grumbling as he forced himself into a gray half-coat with Luna's crescent moon symbol over the back and the shoulders… and Luna smiled a little before she quietly lowered her head through the door, and the coat glowed blue as it yanked itself backwards over Scrivener's head, almost dislodging his glasses as the wrinkles smoothed out through the simple clothing before settling. Scrivener fidgeted for a moment, then he turned around and gazed dryly at Luna, who smiled awkwardly as her head peered through the door at him. "Thank you, Princess, but you are aware it's rude to spy on a pony while he's changing, yes?" "Well, we're different." Luna said finally, and then she glanced curiously towards the bed as the blankets stirred before the small, skeletal pseudodragon stuck its head up curiously, blue flames glowing in its sockets as she smiled a little. "Will thou be accompanying us, little Samael?" "Sammy might scare the other ponies just a little bit right now. He can join us later." Scrivy replied gently, and Sammy chirped after a moment at this as if in agreement before snuggling his little skeletal form back beneath the blankets, and Scrivy smiled a bit at the bed before his eyes roved towards the Princess of the Night, who gazed with soft affection towards the skeletal little beast. "Shouldn't we be going?" "Yes, yes, rush me not, Scrivener Blooms. All things in good time, and I am sure that Twilight Sparkle and her friends have already enjoyed an audience with my sister Celestia." Luna made a bit of a face, shaking her head and adding distastefully: "Sometimes I feel like only the follow-up act, have I ever confessed this?" "Often." Scrivy smiled a bit, however, approaching Luna and nudging her gently. "Come on, though, let's show them the main course is better than the opening act. Plus I'm eager to rub my dignified position in Twilight's face." Luna rolled her eyes at this, muttering something, but the two fell into step beside each other as they strode down the stone hall, the female grimacing a little bit as she held her head high and proud even as anxieties clearly showed through in the way she fidgeted a little, then finally mumbled: "What if they don't like me, Scrivener? What if again it comes down to 'Luna scare us,' 'Luna do tricks for us,' 'Luna, tell us all about being Nightmare Moon.'" Scrivener shrugged a bit, saying quietly: "We all have worries, Luna, especially when we're trying to make a good impression on people. Yours are a little larger and more valid than mine, but at the end of the day the only thing either of us can do is push forwards, and hope for the best, and deal with things as they come. But the fact they chose to make the journey here to Canterlot in the first place is a good start and a good sign, isn't it?" "Perhaps, but the lure in that case may have been mighty Canterlot itself, and not the terrible Nightmare Moon." Luna grumbled pessimistically, and Scrivener rolled his eyes before bumping against her lightly as they passed out of the darker halls and into the busy foyer, the castle alive with life so early in the evening and making both ponies grimace a little. "I'm not sure whether I liked it more when they all bowed to me and parted ways for me out of fear, or as things are now, with them all doing their best to ignore me and hurry away from me." Scrivener shrugged a bit, and the two walked quietly forwards across the hall, Luna's mane and tail of ethereal starlight flickering silently, floating backwards as if blown by a gentle wind as they carefully made their way towards the dining hall. They passed in silence, ignoring the conversation and other ponies around them, and then Luna frowned a bit and looked up as she saw a familiar shape heading out onto the terrace, her eyes filling with both anticipation and nervousness. "'Twas Twilight Sparkle, I am sure of it! Perhaps she and her friends have only just now sat down to dine… I am not certain it would be proper to impose upon them…" "You invited them here, you have to see them eventually." Scrivener pointed out, and Luna sighed and grumbled a bit even as she nodded hesitantly, before making a face as the earth pony began to walk forwards, saying clearly over his shoulder: "But by all means, don't introduce yourself. I'll just go say hello to Twilight Sparkle and friends myself." "Oh, I loathe thee at times." Luna grumbled, but she quickly strode forwards, catching up with the smaller pony and looking down at him with exasperation. "Thou can be as wicked as Celestia, I'll have thee know." "Low blow, Luna. Low blow." Scrivener replied dryly, and Luna grumbled and shook her head briskly, her starry mane whishing around her for a moment before settling as they stepped out through the wide doors and onto the terrace, the six gathered ponies looking up from around the table as Scrivener said clearly: "Greetings, guests from Ponyville. And a special hello to you, Twilight Sparkle. Such a rare treat to see you out and about instead of studying… I see you're still finding the time to dye your mane, though." The unicorn with deep violet eyes and a coat that was several shades lighter than her irises immediately looked up from the table and made a face as if she'd bitten into a lemon, her dark, neatly-brushed mane swaying around her, the streaks of pink and purple through the otherwise deep blue-purple almost seeming to glow in the deep night. Her tail was styled similarly, long and straight and with two more lines of color, one pink, one brighter purple, and upon her haunch was a pink, six-pointed star surrounded by motes of white. "Scrivener Blooms, I was just telling my friends about you." she said sourly, and then she winced when a bright pink pony leapt up onto the table with a loud squeal, a bright smile on her face as she leaned forwards in a way that seemed to defy gravity, her messy, bubblegum-colored mane and tail flicking as her large blue eyes gleamed brightly and her small hooves beat eagerly against the table. "Wow, wow, wow oh wow, look everybody! Twilight really did have friends before she came to Ponyville!" she exclaimed, and Twilight and Scrivener looked at each other for a moment, then both of them threw their heads back and laughed as the bright pink pony tilted her head curiously and twisted around to gaze at Twilight, her cutie mark of blue and yellow balloons seeming to sway with her movements. "What, what's so funny? Oh, I know what's funny! There was this pony and he walked into a bar, and-and-and-" "Slow down, Pinkie Pie, please, we are in the presence of royalty and obvious refinement." spoke another, a unicorn with a beautiful ivory form and an elegantly-styled deep purple mane and tail, both with a matching, careful corkscrew. Her eyes were like sapphires in delicately-carved marble, and her cutie mark certainly matched her looks: three shimmering diamonds, which she almost proudly displayed as she bowed her head politely towards Scrivy and Luna. "Charmed. My name is Rarity. These are-" "I'm Rainbow Dash!" called a blue Pegasus pony, leaping up onto the table beside where Pinkie Pie was now giggling away, Twilight glaring daggers up at the two but neither seeming to notice as the Pegasus struck a pose, flicking her mane and tail – rough and rainbow, likely the source of at least one part of her name – and she grinned cheerfully, warm auburn-red eyes glinting, the rainbow lightning-bolt cutie mark coming from a fluffy white cloud upon her haunch almost glowing for a moment. "I'm the fastest, strongest, bestest pony this side of-" "Slow down, sugar cube, and get down off the table, one pony who can't control her manners is more than enough." another female chastened, leaning up and firmly biting the end of Rainbow's tail to yank her back down to earth, and the Pegasus huffed as the dimpled female smiled, blonde locks spilling from beneath her weathered cowboy hat around her golden features as she said warmly, green eyes bright. "We've already met, Princess, but Mr. Blooms, my name is Applejack." Three red apples glinted on her haunches as her braided tail flicked, done up in the same style as the ponytail that fell back past one shoulder… and finally, all eyes turned to the last pony, who was quietly half-hiding behind the table, the Pegasus shyly peering over it with an embarrassed flush on her tawny-yellow features. Her large, sensitive sea-green eyes blinked a few times as she tried to hide deeper, and then Pinkie Pie leapt over her and landed behind her, almost shoving the little pony upwards and making her wince, her pink, large mane flopping over her face as her small wings flapped nervously, so nervous that even the cutie mark of three butterflies upon her haunch seemed like it was trying to hide. "This is Fluttershy!" "Fluttershy, yes, who aided me when I needed to learn to control my voice." Luna said seriously, leaning back a bit… and Scrivener smiled a little at her. She looked confident, imperious even… but that was just one of Luna's many defense mechanisms, as he'd learned. The more serious and intimidating she seemed… the more scared she usually was. "I remember most of thee from Ponyville… and it is a great honor and pleasure that thou have all come to visit me here in Canterlot." "Oh, it's absolutely divine here, your majesty, well worth taking a day or two off." Rarity smiled as she spoke, nodding before glancing over towards Twilight Sparkle. "And dear Twilight has been so very nice in showing us around… I dare say she knows the layout better than some of its own citizens." "Well, I did used to live here." Twilight replied with a bit of a smile, then she gazed up as Luna and Scrivener joined them at the table, the two glancing up awkwardly as Pinkie Pie bounced around the table, not trotting so much as hopping in excited circles. Then Scrivy's attention was drawn back to Twilight as she said mildly: "You can't imagine how surprised I was when I found out you were Princess Luna's handmaiden, though. I mean, servant." Scrivener glowered over at Twilight, and then he replied dryly: "Well, I'm sure it wasn't quite as surprising as when Princess Celestia assigned you to stay in Ponyville. You know, away from Canterlot. From her. From the school. From the royal library." "I live in a library, thank you, and I'm all too happy to be spending my time with my friends. Besides, I'm learning and researching into the magic of friendship, now… but I wouldn't expect you to know anything about studying, Scrivy." Twilight retorted, and Rainbow Dash giggled behind her hooves as Fluttershy shrank nervously back. For a few moments, the two glared at each other… and then Luna interjected, before Scrivener could further taunt Twilight: "I must admit that I am interested in this subject, Twilight Sparkle. I wish to know more of this magic of friendship and thy studies… for thou sends mine sister Celestia a letter on her discoveries once a week, does thou not?" "Technically only when my research has led to a discovery but… I do my best to send one a week, yes." Twilight said awkwardly, blushing faintly, and Luna cocked her head curiously as Scrivy grinned a bit before the unicorn favored him with a dark look. "Figures you would have heard about that." "Oh please, Twilight, when I'm not doing work for Luna, Celestia has me sorting papers. I get to hear all the juicy gossip." Scrivy replied mildly, and then he winced a bit when Pinkie Pie leaned in out of seemingly nowhere with a bright smile. "I like juice!" she declared, then she bounced a bit on the spot before leaning in close to Scrivy, staring at him with her large, round eyes and making him wince back a bit. "So how long have you known Twilight for? For a long time? For a long-long time?" Scrivener leaned slowly away, and Luna looked apprehensively towards Pinkie Pie before she glanced up as Rarity leaned forwards and said warmly: "You know, I just love what you've done with your mane, princess, very gorgeous. I was curious though, Twilight having mentioned something about vaults and adventure… is there really a treasure cache in the Everfree Forest?" Applejack nudged Rarity firmly with a hoof, clearing her throat as Luna frowned slightly, and then the goldenrod equine asked quickly as Rarity pouted visibly: "What our friend here means, Princess, is that Twilight was telling some legend about how you and Celestia were adventurers or somethin' once upon a time. Now don't get me wrong, Princess Luna, but you and Celestia don't really seem the type." "Yeah, you gotta be athletic and fast to go on adventures, right?" Rainbow Dash added, nodding fervently as she swung her front hoofs upwards and then winced when she almost knocked over the round table, but Twilight only grimaced, a faint aura irradiating from her horn as the table was steadied by telekinetic force. "Whoops. Sorry." "'Twas more than a thousand years ago, before Equestria was made the peaceful and fortuitous land that 'tis today." Luna said embarrassedly, shaking her head a bit and brushing this off with an awkward smile. "Even mine sister and I were young once, as thou… I mean, as you and your friends are. And like all young ponies, we craved adventure, and to change the world." Rainbow Dash laughed at this and nodded, and Scrivener smiled a little as Pinkie Pie bounced back around the table, the male glancing over at Luna and saying softly, despite her faint blush: "Many old mares' stories you hear today come from adventures that Luna was on with her sister and brother. Over a thousand years they've become more whimsical and it's gotten harder to cull the truth from the lies, but the truth is that Luna is still a force to be reckoned with." "For once I agree with you, Scrivy." Twilight said softly, and the two smiled at each other before the unicorn's eyes roved to Luna, who was looking a little more relaxed now. "I was wondering, Princess, would you like to join us for dinner? Well, I suppose it's probably breakfast for you and Scrivener…" "Sleeping all day, that's only fun if you get to party all night long!" Pinkie Pie interjected, bouncing merrily around the table before she giggled and skidded to a halt when Twilight gave her a sour look. "Sorry, I'm just so excited! Nothing beats making new friends!" "Except maybe winning." Rainbow Dash interjected, and Applejack snorted and shook her head, but the Pegasus only favored her with a pompous look. "But you wouldn't know anything about that, huh, Applejack? Not after how many times you've lost to me in every pony competition under the sun." "Rainbow, all you got goin' for you is speed and wings. Besides, last time I checked, you're the one who lost the last five little games we've played in a row." Applejack replied dryly, and she shook her head slowly, smiling amusedly as Rainbow Dash glowered. Luna's attention was drawn from Twilight by the two now, however, even as she nodded almost absently before she asked curiously: "Competition? Like the great tournaments?" "Well… uh… kind of, I guess." Applejack and Rainbow Dash traded uncertain looks, but then Rainbow nodded firmer as Applejack explained: "Me here and Rainbow like to have a little fun now and then together. Nothin' serious, you understand, but we have races and strength contests and every other kind of thing under the sun, help us work off some steam and feel good." "And nothing feels better than winning and rubbing it in her face how much better I am." Rainbow Dash gloated, and Applejack glared up at her as the Pegasus pony grinned and flapped her wings, hovering easily in the air as she posed again, before wincing and wilting at the glare she earned from Twilight, quickly sinking down to land in front of the table and clear her throat. "But it's all in good fun." "Do you spar or joust? 'Twas one of my favorite ways to pass time with sister… in the old days, we called it horn foiling." Luna smiled and nodded, looking at the two, and now Rainbow Dash and Applejack gazed awkwardly at each other before Luna laughed and stepped away from the table, a smile on her face… but her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Come, Scrivener Blooms, let us show them what I speak of!" "Actually, why don't you have Twilight Sparkle help you with this demonstration? She's a unicorn, after all." Scrivy replied with a slight smile, and the Princess of the Night grinned slightly at this in agreement, her eyes brightening as Twilight looked both eager and anxious at the same time. "Come, Twilight, come. I am eager to see how thy fair at this." Luna said with a smile, stepping backwards as her horn took on a faint blue shimmer, lowering her head forwards as her midnight eyes glowed faintly. "It is a task that requires practice more than it does magical potency, but thy abilities will certainly not hinder thee in learning." "Yeah, about that, I'm… really more of a book-learning kind of person…" Twilight said awkwardly, wincing and looking back and forth as she hesitantly stepped out around the table, favoring Scrivy with an ill look as he grinned at her before she winced and looked over her shoulder. "Maybe… Rarity? Rainbow Dash, Applejack?" "Thank you, Twilight, dear, but you know me… I much prefer beauty and grace to fighting and ferocious magic, darling." Rarity answered quickly, leaning back a bit, and then she grimaced when Rainbow Dash bumped into her other side, pouting a bit as she tossed a sour look towards her. The Pegasus pony was grinning again, looking excitedly over at Luna as she jumped up on her hind legs, throwing a few quick punches with her front hooves. "Yeah, Twilight's nothing but a bookworm! Why don't you and I go a round or two, Princess, I'll show you just what I'm made of, how about that?" "Now settle down, Rainbow, this has something to do with them unicorn horns. Last time I checked, you ain't no unicorn." Applejack countered, reaching out and slapping Rainbow Dash on the flank, and the Pegasus pony grumbled before both ponies winced backwards in surprise as Pinkie Pie leapt up between them, throwing a foreleg around the shoulders of either female, a cheerful expression on her face and a party hat on her head. "I have a horn now too!" she exclaimed brightly, bouncing up and down as she hugged Rainbow Dash and Applejack both close, almost throttling the two ponies. "I wanna play after Twilight!" Twilight looked flatly towards Pinkie Pie, but Luna seemed unperturbed by this, only shaking her head with a slight smile and focusing her attention back on Twilight, feeling a strange thrill run along her spine as she said quietly: "Normally I am hesitant to share, but… sister says I must be more open with others. And perhaps there is no shame in a little showmareship." "Just the way I feel, Princess." Rainbow Dash said agreeably, and then she winced when Pinkie Pie cheered loudly, making both Applejack and the sky-blue Pegasus pony twitch away. "Pinkie!" The female giggled and covered her mouth, and then all eyes turned forwards as Luna stood calmly with Twilight only a few feet away, Scrivener Blooms smiling slightly as Luna said kindly: "First, concentrate thy magic into thy horn… and second, prepare thyself. Thy horn is small and thy spirit untested. Thou may earn a scratch or two here." "W-Wait, Princess!" Twilight babbled, wincing and bringing her hands up… and then, grinning, Luna stepped forwards and swung her horn downwards, making Twilight squeak and scramble quickly backwards. "Wait, what do I do?" "Step forth, strike!" Luna replied, excitement making her voice raise, almost thundering the order as Twilight squeaked and instead skittered away when Luna stepped towards her. "Seek thine instincts, give in not to fear!" Twilight yelped as she shook her head wildly, ducking again when Luna continued to press forwards, thrusting her horn teasingly towards the unicorn, and the female winced before wildly swinging forwards with what was more a headbutt that an attempted horn strike, but Luna smiled encouragingly as she easily parried the panicked attack, horn striking against horn and a faint spark of energy flickering through the air. "Fear not, Twilight, thou shalt come to no harm." Twilight squeaked as she ducked an easy flick of Luna's horn, then her own glowed brightly before she vanished from sight with a loud popping sound in a burst of light, Luna blinking stupidly before she looked over her shoulder to see Twilight reappear with another crackle, half-falling on her front with a wheeze, her eyes rolling in her head as she mumbled: "I don't think this is quite for me, Princess." "Nonsense, up to thy hooves, Twilight, 'tis an ancient unicorn art I share now with thee and thy friends." Luna grumbled, sounding almost offended, but Scrivy only smiled a little as Twilight groaned and carefully hauled herself up to her hooves to the encouraging cheers of her friends. The male equine could tell how fond Luna was of Twilight… and he smiled a little wider as Twilight apprehensively turned around and the Princess of the Night nodded firmly. "Good. Now, we try again. Space thy hooves apart, anchor thyself, and hold thy head proudly, Twilight Sparkle. Thou art a unicorn, and more so, thou art stronger and wiser than thy years would lay suspect." Now Twilight blushed a little bit, but Luna only smiled at her, midnight cyan eyes almost glowing as she lowered her head forwards slightly and explained calmly: "Hoof and horn were the first weapons of the first unicorns, used by some to attack, used by others to defend. A weapon's use is determined by the pony who wields it… such weight given in such choices can turn the smallest pony to a tyrant, the largest pony to a coward, the most quiet of ponies to a dedicated protector… or heartless usurper. "Yet thee and thy friends are pure of heart, trustworthy and genteel… this that I pass down I have faith in that thee shall not abuse, but instead shall treasure and use to protect. Now stand before me, Twilight Sparkle, and ready thyself… our lesson begins!" Luna's eyes flashed, and she leapt forwards: a mighty, proud pony, for a moment epitomizing everything in the old legends, and Scrivy could feel the awe and excitement at the table as Twilight could do little more than stare, slack-jawed, at the female lunging towards her, horn ablaze with blue, ethereal flames, mane and tail like a trail of stars burning behind her in a vast and beauteous network, hooves faintly glowing beneath their silvered slippers… and then two Royal Guards lunged in front of Twilight, Pegasus ponies armored in gold and with glaring, unforgiving eyes as their wings flapped and they lunged at the Princess. Luna's eyes widened in surprise, before her eyes flashed white with anger as her wings flapped and propelled her safely backwards as their hooves snapped at the air where she had been a moment before, landing and skidding backwards as she snarled, eyes taking on a faint white shimmer, voice raising in fury: "Thou dares to interrupt and step between your princess and a pupil?" "By order of the throne, dueling is forbidden. Calm yourself, Princess Luna." one of the guards replied in a cold, almost emotionless voice, the two standing ready, their wings spread, their eyes burning as if they wanted to be given a reason to fight. "Return to your chambers." "You dare order us, your Princess? We are the throne!" Luna snarled, her eyes glowing brighter as she leaned forwards, her mane and tail seeming to lengthen, the stars in that ephemeral swirl of madness seeming to glow brighter, and Scrivener winced: Twilight Sparkle's friends were in shocked silence behind the table, and the unicorn herself looked horrified… but the guards were only leaning more aggressively forwards, unforgiving, callous soldiers of the sun, warriors of the daylight that were repulsed by the night. "Wait, let's all just calm down, the Princess was just trying to show me something…" Twilight said awkwardly, walking carefully forwards… and one of the Pegasus ponies simply looked over his shoulder in disgust before bringing a hoof up and kicking Twilight backwards, knocking her sprawling with a grunt of shock as her eyes blinked in dumb surprise. "We are handling the situation." he said icily… and that was the last word he spoke before Luna snarled and lunged towards the two guards, her eyes glowing almost solid white in fury as Scrivener covered his head with a wince. A guard leapt forwards, trying to meet her as he began to raise his hooves… and Luna smacked him in the side of his helmeted head with the side of her horn with enough force to rattle his senses, making him half-fall before she brought her hooves up and slammed them both down on top of his head, the pony giving a muffled yell before he crashed face-first into the terrace floor, his hind legs kicking and flopping uselessly in the air as his wings flapped weakly. The other pony guard winced and immediately tried to leap forwards, attempting to take the aerial advantage over Luna… but with a grin, Luna leapt backwards, her body seeming to dissolve in moments into whirling starlight and shadows that shot upwards in a semi-liquid arc, and the guard had a moment to gape stupidly as this shot past him before Luna reformed directly overtop him, slamming both her hind legs downwards in a savage kick that sent him crashing down to the ground, yelping loudly as he collided with the terrace tile on his stomach before Luna dropped heavily on top of him on all fours, making him howl in pain before he went limp, visibly knocked senseless as the gathered ponies stared in shock. In a manner of seconds, Luna had easily dispatched the two guards, her eyes still glowing white, her expression cold… and then she frowned a bit and closed her eyes, shaking her head quickly before blushing as she glanced down and carefully stepped off the stupefied Royal Guard before wincing at the sight of the ponies staring at them from inside the dining hall… and then cursing quietly under her breath as she looked to the side and saw Twilight's friends staring in horror, and Twilight herself looking up, stupefied, as Luna hesitantly offered a hoof to her with a deep flush. "I… I fear my temper did overtake me, Twilight Sparkle, I cannot apologize enough, but… I… to see them treat thee so, to interfere between us, 'twas the straw that broke the pony's back and… I mean… Twilight, art thou alright?" Twilight only looked numbly up at Luna, blinking slowly as if she was having trouble comprehending what was happening, and Scrivener quickly pushed himself away from the table, striding over to Twilight to gently rest a hoof on her shoulder as he leaned down and muttered in her ear as Luna began to visibly falter: "On your hooves, Twilight. Luna, maybe you should close the-" "What is going on here?" asked a sharp voice, and Scrivener and Luna both winced and looked up as Celestia strode forwards, her eyes sharp and angry as she seemed to fill the entire doorway, the threatening fury that almost emanated off her as she surveyed the scene making her seem like a giantess as she gritted her teeth for a moment, then said coldly: "Luna, come with me. Guards, take these ponies to be examined." "W-Wait!" Twilight said breathlessly, half-whimpering, half-shouting the words, and Celestia frowned deeply as she turned towards her even as several armored guards walked forwards, carefully trying to stir the beaten-down Pegasi into wakefulness as they lifted them carefully. "Luna was… only trying to protect me, I-" "Twilight, 'tis alright. 'Tis alright." Luna interrupted gently, a faint smile on her face as she lowered her head forwards, her mane and tail almost wrapping around her own body as she closed her eyes. "I lost my temper, mine sister Celestia. I shall respectfully defer to and accept thy punishment." Celestia nodded, then held up a hoof when Twilight opened her mouth to speak, looking sharply at the unicorn and saying quietly: "We shall talk more later, Twilight. Scrivener Blooms, please see to the guests' lodgings." And with that, Celestia turned around, and Luna lowered her head as she silently followed her older sister into the castle as Scrivener gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. The guards filtered out next, carrying the wounded and tired… and then Applejack said quietly: "Mr. Blooms, don't you worry none about us, we can find our way back up to our room… Pinkie, Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, why don't we go on up ahead now, and… well… you know." Scrivener opened his eyes and looked up quietly as Applejack led the others past him, giving him a supportive smile… and Pinkie Pie did the same, even though her mane and tail were drooping slightly. "I thought it was amazing." Rainbow Dash said firmly, offering a smile… and Scrivener smiled a little in return as the Pegasus walked past, Applejack sighing from ahead. "What? What?" "It'll be alright, darling, we all make mistakes." Rarity added eloquently, gazing at Scrivy for a moment before she continued onwards… and last came Fluttershy, who blushed a bit and paused in front of Scrivener. The two looked at each other for a moment, and then she blushed and lowered her head as she said shyly: "I know Princess Luna's really very nice when she wants to be. It was scary… but she must be going through so much…" "She is. Thank you, Fluttershy. Thank you all, I know Luna will be glad to hear that none of you are angry over what happened." Scrivy said quietly, glancing towards them, and Fluttershy blushed a little, murmuring something embarrassedly before she quietly trotted over to quickly catch up with the group gathered in the doorway. Then Applejack led them onwards, and Scrivy sighed a little, lowering his head… before frowning a bit as he glanced up towards the edge of the terrace. Twilight Sparkle was sitting silently in front of the railing, her back to him, trembling a bit with her head and ears drooped… and quietly, Scrivener walked over to sit beside her, gazing out at the blackness of the deep valley the terrace overlooked before he turned his eyes towards Twilight… and she slowly looked up, the moonlight making the trails of tears running down her cheeks shimmer as she whispered: "Scrivy, what happened back there? Did… did I make things worse?" "Now stop that… I think everyone could see how thrilled Luna was in that role of teacher." Scrivener said quietly, glancing over at her and gently patting her shoulder with a hoof, and Twilight smiled a little at him, blushing faintly even as she shivered a little and tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "I'm sure you've seen flashes of it… I know you've seen flashes of it. Luna has a temper… and a duality. Whatever made her Nightmare Moon in the first place, dark shards of it still exist inside her, still poison her actions and thoughts sometimes. And she's still… a little stuck in the past. The past that Equestria has done its best to cover up and hide, the past they don't even teach about in history books." Twilight nodded a few times, looking down quietly and murmuring: "I… think I understand. But what scared me most was… Princess Celestia's reaction. The way she looked at Luna… I've never seen her so angry. She didn't even wait for an explanation…" "They're sisters, Twilight. And Celestia wasn't always so gentle and wise… she's more than a thousand years old, and like Luna, she comes from a very different time. The difference is she's had those years to adapt, to change, to develop." He stopped, then hesitated before murmuring, looking away: "Although I think, just like Luna, sometimes she reverts a little." Twilight sighed a bit, closing her eyes tightly, and then she shook her head and murmured: "And the guards…" "The guards, the servants of Canterlot… this isn't Ponyville, Twilight, where you get second and third and fourth chances, where people are friendly and open, and there's the embrace of the community. This is the royal court, where nobles decide your reputation for you, where the mage unicorns are the upper class and earth ponies are mostly servants, where you don't always get to make up for even the smallest errors." Scrivener replied bitterly, and Twilight smiled faintly as she looked over at him, the male frowning a bit. "What?" But she only shook her head for a moment, staying silent… and there was quiet between the two before Twilight carefully rubbed at her face with a hoof, and then she sighed a little, asking quietly: "What's it like, working for the Princess?" "At first it was a little difficult. It took a long time to earn her trust, among other things, but… now I don't work for her anymore, I'm her friend." Scrivy replied finally, glancing over at Twilight, and Twilight smiled a little at him as she nodded slowly. "We take care of each other. Well, we try to. She's bossy and it's difficult to get her to do anything, and I'm more stubborn than she is." The violet unicorn laughed a little at this, then she shook her head and said quietly: "But by being her friend I think you're doing a lot for her, Scrivener. Are you… does she ever scare you?" "A few nights ago she turned her bedding into a giant spider and tried to make it eat me." Scrivy replied mildly, and Twilight blinked slowly at this, staring at him, before the male smiled a bit. "I know, that's not what you meant. No, she doesn't, not anymore. Even when she goes into a full rage about something or other, I only have to imagine how hard this all is for her, and all I want to do is try and make things better for her. I admit she used to, yeah: it would get pretty terrifying to be in the same room as a pony who can be a little overly-fond of expressing her emotions through temper-tantrums often involving lightning flying everywhere. But all you unicorns are so goddamn temperamental at times." Twilight shook her head with a small smile at this, and then she hesitated before saying quietly: "I heard… that she brought your pet Samael back to life somehow. I'm sorry if it's a sore subject, I know… you're not fond of it…" "It's okay, Twilight. Sammy's… not exactly alive, not exactly dead." Scrivener said carefully, and then he paused before continuing quietly: "I was mad at her at first, yes. Very, very mad. But I… was just thankful afterwards. It's been years since Sammy died, after all… since one of your classmates accidentally blasted him while I was just trying to walk to work. Only friend I ever had." "Well, now you have him back, and two other friends, Scrivy." Twilight said quietly, and Scrivener smiled a little at this as she leaned towards him and gently embraced him, resting herself against him for a moment as she closed her eyes and muttered: "Just don't expect me to be nice to you in public." "Took the words right out of my mouth, Twilight. We can't have anyone knowing we actually get along, after all." Scrivy replied, pushing himself lightly back against her before they pulled apart and smiled at one another, and then he said quietly: "Go and get some sleep. But it would do Luna a world of good to see you in the early morning, before she goes to bed. Will you do me a favor and come by then?" "Of course. We'll hang around today and tonight, too… Rarity is helping out in one of the dress shops, and the others are enjoying sightseeing. Spike insisted on spending all day showing everyone around, but he tuckered himself out." Twilight glanced up towards the moon overhead, studying its ivory surface before she shook her head slowly. "I hope Luna's okay." "Luna will make it through, Twilight. She and her sister have their arguments, but… they'll make it through. But come on, let's see you back to your room and you can get some rest. You look like you need it." Scrivy said softly, and Twilight Sparkle smiled a little to him before the two fell into step, walking quietly into the castle: a friendship formed in spite of – or perhaps it was because of – the turmoil of the night. Top ↑ Category:Transcript Category:Story